World News Quick Take

Agencies

PAKISTAN

Stray mortar strikes family

A stray mortar smashed through a house in a northwestern village early yesterday, killing three children and their mother and injuring their father, police said. The pre-dawn incident took place in Shaikhan village, a suburb of Peshawar close to the Khyber tribal district, where the military is fighting against local warlord Mangal Bagh and his Lashkar-e--Islam faction. Senior police officer Shafiullah Khan said it was not yet clear who fired the mortar.

AFGHANISTAN

Minister survives bombing

A minister survived a roadside bombing yesterday, the third attack on high profile officials in three days, a provincial governor said. Higher Education Minister Obaidullah Obaid was traveling between the northern provinces of Baghlan and Kunduz when his motorcade hit a roadside bomb, similar to those used by Taliban insurgents. The minister escaped unhurt, but two policemen escorting his convoy were wounded, Baghlan Governor Munshi Abdul Majeed said, blaming the blast on the Taliban. In a separate attack the same day, a twin bombing wounded 14 people in Logar Province. The second explosion hit security forces as they gathered to investigate the first and the casualties were mostly police, army and intelligence investigators, police said.

SCOTLAND

ETA suspect arrested

The Spanish Ministry of the Interior says a suspected member of Basque separatist group ETA has been arrested in Scotland. The 36-year-old man was taken into custody in Edinburgh by police, with the assistance of Spanish officers. The ministry said on Saturday that Benat Atorrasagasti Ordonez was arrested late on Friday. Atorrasagasti allegedly joined ETA in 1996 as a courier whose mission it was to facilitate border crossings for ETA members and material between Spain and France. ETA is blamed for killing more than 825 people in a campaign for an independent Basque state. It is classified as a terrorist organization by Spain, the US and the EU.

BAHRAIN

Protestors, police clash

Anti-government protesters have clashed with police in widespread demonstrations against moves by authorities to ban opposition rallies. The clashes on Saturday included demonstrators hurling fire bombs and challenging riot police carrying out raids. The government said it would not approve further opposition marches, claiming they disrupt everyday life. Dozens of state-authorized opposition marches have been held, but most demonstrations are spontaneous street protests that lead to clashes. The government’s decision is likely to escalate confrontations between the Sunni monarchy and protesters led by Bahrain’s Shiite majority, which claims it faces systematic discrimination.

CYPRUS

Suspected terrorist detained

Police have detained a young Lebanese man who holds a Swedish passport on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack against Israeli interests in the country, media reports said on Saturday. A police spokesman said he could not confirm or deny the reports because it was a “sensitive political issue.” Online news Web site Sigmalive said the man was arrested in his hotel room last week. It said the suspect appeared before a closed court for a second time on Friday where he was detained in police custody for another seven days. State television said Israeli intelligence agents had supplied information to the authorities regarding the suspect.